Israeli army: Palestinian kills Israeli, wounds another in West Bank

June 19, 2015 5:54 P.M. (Updated: June 20, 2015 11:40 A.M.)

Israeli forensic police inspect a car belonging to Israeli victims of a gun attack by a Palestinian man near the Dolov settlement, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on June 19, 2015. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- An Israeli was killed and another wounded after a Palestinian opened fire on them near the illegal settlement of Dolev in the West Bank district of Ramallah Friday, the Israeli army said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that at around 4:15 p.m. the two Israelis were driving to go on a hike in the occupied West Bank when a Palestinian called on them to pullover, appearing to want to ask about a nearby spring.

He then opened fire on them using a 9mm handgun before fleeing the scene, she said.

Both Israelis were evacuated by military helicopter to Tel HaShomer hospital in Tel Aviv, where one of them "succumbed to his wounds."

A hospital spokeswoman said that the dead man had arrived without any vital signs, having been shot in the chest.

She said the other Israeli had been shot in the hand and was "not seriously injured."

Israeli news site Ynet said they were both 25 years old and identified the dead man as Danny Gonen, a resident of the Israeli city of Lod, though neither police nor hospital spokespeople were able to confirm his identity.

Earlier reports incorrectly suggested they were settlers.

An Israeli manhunt is underway for the Palestinian attacker.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, condemned the shooting and called on "all sides to exercise the utmost restraint, to maintain calm and promptly bring the perpetrators to justice."

West Bank settlements are illegal under international law, and Israelis have been attacked previously in and near them as well as in occupied East Jerusalem.

There have been a number of attacks by Palestinians on Israeli military and civilians over the last year, largely in the wake of Israeli activities across the occupied Palestinian Territories, including last summer's offensive on Gaza which left more than 2,200 Palestinians dead.

An average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with one Israeli killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

In the same time period, an average of 39 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces per week and 13 killed, two of whom were killed since the beginning of this month.

The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.

AFP contributed to this report.

An Israeli forensic policeman takes photos of a car belonging to Israeli victims of a gun attack by a Palestinian man near the Dolov settlement, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 19, 2015. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

israel beats, arrests and attacks Palestinians so frequently I am surprised more Palestinians dont snap! Palestinians have shown great restraint at the brutality of the israeli occupation.

19/06/2015 18:58

Brian Cohen / Israel

More proof that Palestinians do not want peace. Palestinian police will not search for the killer. Palestinian courts will not hold any trial. Palestinian leaders will praise the murder. The world does not need another brutal Arab dictatorship called "Palestine".

19/06/2015 19:20

Byron Henderson- Hutton / England

Earlier, three Palestinians, one from East Jerusalem, were detained at the Oranit checkpoint after a Karl Gustav sub-machine gun was found in their possession hidden in an amplifier.

19/06/2015 19:54

Colin Wright / USA

Man bites dog.

19/06/2015 20:23

Arnold / Canada

The list of injuries/deaths are likely true but the circumstances are not even mentioned. Palestinian injuries/deaths were at the hands of the IDF who were assaulted by those carrying weapons in the form of guns or rocks. Israeli citizens are targeted solely because they are Jews.

19/06/2015 20:46

Chimo / USA

So #1, that justifies this coward who tricks two young men to pull over then shoots them point blank? #4 as always, you are beneath contempt in your remarks. Go back to your rock

19/06/2015 20:58

Esam / US

Arnold, there's plenty of attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers. If Palestinian military occupied Israel there'd be Israeli civilians attacking Palestinians. If the Chinese were occupying Palestine and build settlements they be attacked because of the occupation, not because they're Chinese.

19/06/2015 22:31

SegsyGuy / Psn

If you come to live on illegal stolen land, expect this to happen to you

20/06/2015 01:03

@chimo / Palestine

This is exactly what happened to Palestinian Mohammad Abu Khudeir, who was tricked by 3 Israeli settlers that were asking him directions and ended up being kidnapped, tortured, and alive but all 3 of them. It's been a year and still no justice. Just kept on postponing their trials! The Apartheid wa

20/06/2015 02:55

izzy / usa

May god, I mean the IDF have mercy on you.

20/06/2015 03:27

Natural Responses / Murderers Or Siege

Hamas is in the Palestinian Authority Unity Government, so Israel should punish the PA government, by halting fuel and electricity deliveries, until the PA turns over or executes these Hamas murderers !! If the PA refuses, then Israel should halt water deliveries too, and begin a Siege !!

20/06/2015 16:44

Adrien / France

What exactly are Israeli citizens doing in the West Bank ? Isn't the West Bank forbidden for Israelis ? Oh wait I forgot, Israel is illegaly building settlement on someone's else land, slowly but carefully taking over Jerusalem East and the Jourdan Valley. And the occupant is suprised ?

20/06/2015 20:15

Dimitri / Cyprus

Ma'an, are you sure it was a Palestinian who shot the Israelis? Maybe this is just propaganda and it was an Israeli because Palestinians never do any harm to other people! -irony on-